Fhe morris peterj co



(No Model.) 2 Sh6ets-8heet 1.

P. J. KING. APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL BOXES.

No. 487,186. Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

.Zn 2/01 for:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. F. J .KING. APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL BOXES.

PatentedNov; 29, 1892.:

1/2 which UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. KING, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FO R MAKING M ETAL BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,186, dated November29, 1892. Application filed January 26, 1892- Serial No. 419,347. '(Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J OHN KING, merchant, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 3 to 6 Camomile Street,in the city of London, England, have invented certain Improvements inApparatus for Making Metal Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

- My invention is designed more especially to provide convenient andefficient apparatus for fixing the end plate or bottoms in the bodies ofmetal boxes by folding together the edges of the plate or plates formingthe body and of the said end plates or bottoms so as to securely connectthem together without the necessity forriveting or soldering. It will Ibe evident from the following description that a similar end plate maybe. attached to the sides in a similar way to form a top, provided therebe an orifice in the top to allow of an internal anvil being withdrawn.The body portion-that is, the part forming the sides of the boxmay bemade from a single strip of metal bent to the required shape, and theedges may be connected together by any suitable means.

I will describe my present invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings as applied to the fixing of a bottom plate to the sides,promising that I do not restrict myself to the precise detailsillustrated.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the table or lower part,showing the folding mechanism. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section and aplan of the plunger which holds the bottom in position while being fixedto the body of the box. Fig. 3? is a bottom view of the plunger, showingplates Q and blocks Q; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are sectional viewsshowing the several stages in the operation of fixing the bottom.

In the table A of the apparatus is provided a recess or opening B,corresponding in size and shape to the body of the box into which thebottom is to be fixed and surrounded by a rim 0, forming a chamber tocontain the body of the box. In this chamber is fitted to slide aplungeror movable bottom D, which is capable of being raised and lowered, asrequired by, means of the lever orhandleE connected to the rotatingportion F of a turn-table on which the plunger D rests. The contiguousor meeting faces of the movable and stationary parts of the saidturntable are provided with inclined surfaces cir' cularly disposed, sothat by turning the movable portion in one direction it will be causedto ascend the inclined surfaces on the fixed or stationary part G,whereby the plunger D may be raised to the required extent and loweredagain by rotating the part F in the reverse direction. The body of thebox to receive the bottom is placed in the recess or chamber B, thelower edge of the body then resting on the movable bottom or plunger D,which is arranged at such a height in the chamberB that the upper edgeof the said body projects above the rim 0 to an extent required to makethe first fold in the process of securing the bottom. Inside the body isplaced an easily-fitting anvil H, which may consist of a solid block, asshown, or it may be built up of parts. This anvil rests on the movablebottom or plunger D and is of such a depth or thickness as to leaveprojecting above its upper end sufficient of the upper part of the bodyof the box to secure the bottom of the box. The bottom to be fixed tothe body consists of a plate I of the required size, having its edges aturned up to a right angle, which may be effected by any suitable means,so as to form a tray or dish, as shown in Fig. at, which plate,with itsupturned edges to uppermost, is placed on the top surface of the anvil Hwithin the body of the box K, the depth of the upturned edges a of theplate I being such as to extend, say, about half-way up the portions ofthe sides of the body which project above the top surface or edge of theanvil.

On the upper surface of the table A is ar ranged an overhanging bracketL, which may, if desired, be fixed rigidly to the table, or, as shown,itmaybe fitted to turn in a socketMinto and out of operating position tofacilitate the placing of the body and bottom of the box'in position inthe chamber B and for removing the box therefrom when the bottom isfixed.

Fitted to slide in bearings N in the bracket L is a rod 0, carrying atitslower end the plunger P, provided with sliding pieces or platesQ,(see Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6,) which are capable of being projected whenrequired beyond the edges of the plunger-body by a camsurface orcam-surfaces R, formed ona plate S, carried by a sleeve T, fitted toturn on the rod 0 and provided with handles U,by which to turn thesleeve when required. The sliding pieces Q have formed with or securedto them the blocks Q, which project upward through slots P in theplunger. These are kept in contact with the cam-surfaces by springs V,secured to the body of the plunger and acting on pins or projections Won the blocks Q of the sliding pieces or plate Q. The plungerP is raisedand lowered by means of a counterbalanced lever X, centered to the upperend of the bracket L. Thebody of the box and the tray to form the bottomthereof being placed in position in the chamber B, as described, theplunger P is caused to descend onto the plate I, after which the slidingplates or pieces Q are projected by turning the camsurfaces by means ofthe handles U. The plates Q when projected press against the upturnededges or of the plate I, so as to hold it firmly in position, and thethickness of the plates Q is such that their upper surfaces are aboutlevel with the top edge of the rim 0 of the chamber B. While the partsare in this position plates Y, fitted to slide in guides Z on the tableA of the apparatus, are moved forward by means of levers Z, mounted soas to turn on the stems b of the plates Y. The boss 2 of each of theselevers is provided on one side with a circularly-disposed cam-surface z,held in contact with a corresponding cam-surface on the contiguous guideZ by a spring at, while the opposite side of the boss of the lever isplane and bears against a collar e, adjustably fixed on the stem 6, sothat when the lever is turned on the stem it will be caused by thecam-surfaces to press against the collar 6 and force the plate Y forwardagainst the resisting power of the spring (:1 and press the edge of thebox-body, which projects above the surface of the rim 0, to a rightangle over the upturned edge a on the plate I, as shown in Fig. 5.

The projecting edges of two sides of the body may be turned over at onetime by the operator turning two opposite levers Z. The levers Z and'plates Y are returned to the normal positions by the springs d when thelevers are released. When the projecting edges of the four sides of thebody have been turned over, as shown in Fig. 5,and the sliding plates Ywithdrawn, the sliding plates or pieces-Q are also retracted or drawn:into the body of the plunger by means of the handles Uand the plungerraised by the lever X out of contact with the plate I. The slidingplates Qare then again caused to protrude and the plunger 1? broughtdown so that the protruding plates Q then come onto the turned-overupper edges of the body of the box, causing the said edges tobe furtherfolded into the position shown in Fig. 6, so as to inclose the turned-upedges a of the bottom plate I. The

plunger P is then again raised and the bottom plunger or movable bottomD of the chamber B, on which the anvil H and body of the box rests, isalso raised, so as to bring the plate I of the box about level with orslightly below the edge of the rim 0, as shown in Fig. 7, the edges ofthe body of the box which project above the bottom plate I projectingthen above the rim 0 of the chamber. The sliding plates Y, which beforehad turned the upper edges of the body at right angles, are now movedforward, (preferably two opposite ones at a time,) as before, so as tofold the projecting edges of the body, inclosing the upturned edges orof the plate I, down onto the surfaces of the plate I, as shown in Fig.8, and thereby fix the bottom in the body. The sliding plates Y are thenwithdrawn and the bracket L turned in its socket M, so as to move theplunger P from over the chamber B, after which the anvil H, with the boxthereon, is forced from the recess or chamber B by means of a rod f,passing from below through a hole in the turntable and the movablebottomD and bearing against the bottom of the anvil H. This rod may beraised by a treadle, if desired, or, as shown in the drawings, by aleverg, centered at h to a bracket '5, projecting from the under side of thetable A, to which lever the rod f is connected, so that by raising thislever the anvil, with the box thereon, may be raised sufficiently fromthe recess to enable the operator to remove it by hand. The finished boxhaving been removed from the anvil, another box-body is placed in therecessorchamber B, the anvil placed in the body, and a plate or tray tobe secured therein beingplaced on the anvil the operations hereinbeforedescribed are repeated. If the bottom plate only is fixed in the waydescribed, the lids for the boxes may consist of loose trays similar tothe bottoms I before being fixed, or, if desired, the lids may be hingedto the bod-y in any convenient manner.

I claim- 1. In apparatus for the purpose described, a recess or chamberhaving amovable bottom to contain and support the body of the box whilefixing the end plate thereto, an anvil or frame to support the saidplate while being fixed, means for raising the movable bottom, asrequired, and sliding plates for folding or bending over the edges ofthe body of the .box and the plate to be attached thereto, the wholebeing arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinbeforedescribed.

2. In apparatus for the purpose described, a recess or chamberhavingamovable bottom to contain and support the body of the box whilefixing the end plate thereto, an anvil or frame to support the saidplate while being fixed, means for raising the box in the recess orchamber, as required, a block or plunger for holding the said end platein position on the anvil or frame and provided with sliding piecescapable of being protruded and withdrawn,and sliding plates for foldingor bending over the edges of the body ofjthe box and of the end plate,the whole being arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein- 5before described.

3. In an apparatus for making boxes, the combination of a chamber inwhich issupported the body of the box while the end plate is being fixedtherein, an anvil or support for 10 the said plate while it is beingfixed in place, means for moving the anvil, a plunger for holding thesaid end plate in position on the anvil, the sliding plates Q, carriedby the said plunger, the cams R, which engage with the plates and movethem, and means for moving I 5 the cams, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDK. J. KING.

Witnesses:

GEORGE OoTTIs, PENROSE DURMAN,

Both of 3 Oamomile St, E. O.

